What a goal but did Trent mean it?
BURNLEY 0 LIVERPOOL 3
Wood og (33), Mane (37), Firmino (80)
Liverpool head into the international break on top of the Premier League after extending their 100% record to four matches.
An own-goal by Chris Wood, deflecting in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross, was added to by Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino as Jurgen Klopp’s side regained top spot just over two hours after Manchester City had overtaken them.
It was an afternoon of firsts for the Reds. First time the club have won 13 consecutive league matches. First time they have won their opening four matches in back-to-back seasons. First clean sheet of the season. And Firmino became the first Brazilian to score 50 Premier League goals.
But this was a different type of victory to what had gone before, grinding it out before moving through the gears when they spotted the right opportunity.
Liverpool had to see off the early hustle and bustle from Burnley. Wood sprang the offside trap to force Adrian into a save after just 80 seconds and it was apparent boss Sean Dyche had identified that as the most effective way of both negating and threatening the leaders.
It presented a testing 25-minute period for Klopp’s side as, with the ball either in the air or heading towards their own goal, they spent a fair amount of time backtracking and regrouping.
Alexander-Arnold had to clear over his own crossbar under pressure from Ashley Barnes from an Aaron Lennon cross, but the opening spell was not entirely without Liverpool chances. Nick Pope got the very slightest of fingertip touches
to help Mo Salah’s shot on to a post and then almost gifted him a goal when his legs diverted Jordan Henderson’s ball over the top from a one-two, with Salah to the Liverpool forward who watched the rebound roll wide. Having patiently probed, the opening goal in the 33rd minute was a complete fluke. AlexanderArnold’s attempted cross took a glancing blow off Wood’s shoulder and ballooned over Pope and went into the top corner.
Their second, however, was all too familiar as Ben Mee was pressured into
losing possession to Firmino, who teed up Mane to slot home.
Burnley’s first chance of the second half did not arrive until the 72nd minute when James Tarkowski headed over.
Had that gone in it would have led to an uncomfortable finish, but Liverpool strolled towards full-time, with Firmino launching and finishing the counterattack with Salah to score the third.
Four wins from four and a two-point cushion over City. Even the demanding Klopp could not have asked for any more.